Toughen Up

[javanek]

It's easy to tell if you're injured or not one type of pain feels good, like you've accomplished something, the other type just hurts. Either way you have to go on, what choice do you have you wouldn't want to be weak like a normal person.

That's kind of my point exactly. Something that drones on for a month, like sore shoulder or something, may be indicative of an injury that needs to be addressed. But, at least to me, it's pretty easy to tell if it's just being sore from really working, or something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Maybe it's something you learn over time, don't know on that.

[Jim Slade]

It's easy to tell if you're injured or not one type of pain feels good, like you've accomplished something, the other type just hurts. Either way you have to go on, what choice do you have you wouldn't want to be weak like a normal person.

That's kind of my point exactly. Something that drones on for a month, like sore shoulder or something, may be indicative of an injury that needs to be addressed. But, at least to me, it's pretty easy to tell if it's just being sore from really working, or something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Maybe it's something you learn over time, don't know on that.

Ha Ha! my shoulder has been hurting since 2003 I think basically I'm just falling to bits, it's only the scar tissue that holds me together these days. I have a strict policy regarding illness and pain though:
Ignore whatevers wrong with me for six months if I haven't died it can't be that bad.

[Mehdi]

I stickied this because I agree with Paul. There are always some weird pains that appear for no particular reason. Rule of thumb: wait 2-3 days, if it goes away great. If you can still feel it after 2 weeks, and it's painful even when you don't train, then something is wrong.

[Monk]

Here's my tupence worth on this one:

Yeah, the key to progress with lifting is to know the difference between the 'good' pain of hard work and 'bad' pain of injury... which is basically what most people are saying above.

I would however add that serious back injuries can and do result from repeated micro trauma. A classic presentation could be someone doing a lot of bending over one day e.g gardening, feeling a niggle and then waking up the next day with the full blown pain of a herniated disk.

Yep, with good lifting technique this is unlikely but it still serves to prove the point: Real pain is your bodies message to stop doing what you are doing, infact if you look at the evolution of man (Which is an important thing to do when creating exercise programs) it is obvious that pain is a primary educator.

Learn the difference between good pain and bad pain. If you feel bad pain, you must stop, re-assess, get advice if you need to, and learn before you move on.

[Dada]

Remember this scene from the movie "The Program"? ....
Coach: (standing over player) Are you hurt or injured?
Player: (gasping) What’s the difference?
Coach: Well, if you’re hurt, you can play. If you’re injured, you can’t.
Player: I guess I’m hurt.
Coach: Okay. Then get up.


Bottom line, there is a difference between being hurt or injured. Most of the complaints are 'hurt' complaints, not real injuries. If you're not sure then it's probably OK to be cautious but don't be a wimp either. A real injury will usually be cronic and doesn't go away. A bad one usually involves a snap or pop, if you get one of those go to the doctor and get it checked. Ohtherwise, suck it up unless it doesn't go away for weeks.

[punkguitarist]

whats your guy's take on chronic issues that aren't going away but aren't getting worse either?


the reason i ask is because ive had an annoying lower back pain that's been going on for the last 3 months. it got a lot better in the first month and now it just seems like its going on forever. its probably only a 1 on a 1-10 scale for pain, but still annoying. i mostly notice it when i first get up in the morning and several random times through out the day. it never hurts when i lift.

you think id be okay to train through this?

[Dada]

whats your guy's take on chronic issues that aren't going away but aren't getting worse either?


the reason i ask is because ive had an annoying lower back pain that's been going on for the last 3 months. it got a lot better in the first month and now it just seems like its going on forever. its probably only a 1 on a 1-10 scale for pain, but still annoying. i mostly notice it when i first get up in the morning and several random times through out the day. it never hurts when i lift.

you think id be okay to train through this?

Just in case, you might want to get it checked out. Maybe you could get an adjustment from a chiropractor or something that will make it totally go away. On another note, I once had a back problem like that which started out pretty bad but lightend up a bit and never went away. I didn't get it checked out but one day during a mandatory run (I'm in the military) something just popped back into place and it never bothered me again. Weird.

[punkguitarist]

i have gotten it checked out by a doctor and she said it sounds like a muscle sprain in my lower back and nothing related to the discs. i went to a physical therapist but they were pretty much useless. they put my on ice for 20 min, gave me a generic list of "core" exercises, and that was it.

[Monk]

Hmmmm.... A muscle strain that isn't aggravated by exercise.... That's a new one on me!! Escpecially if you are doing heavy lifting like I guess you are.

If you are worried (from what you say I don't think there is any particular reason to panic) chuck your symptoms including daily pattern, character of pain, onsett etc on a new thread and I'll give you a third opinion!!

[Nicketzsche]

Honestly, the original poster is 18 years old and incredibly strong, probably never experienced a serious injury in his life.

I've torn a muscle in my shoulder, and it took months to recover from. 'Toughening up' and working through the warning pains my shoulder was giving me due to bad form/too much weight, was exactly what led to the tear.

Not everyone is a genetic animal, able to make infinite stength gains. Not everyone will perform every repetition with perfect form everytime. A sore muscle is not an injury, and I wouldn't call it painful. It's just a muscle saying it's tired.

Some people's pain threshold is obviously f'ed up if they're mistaking a well worked muscle for pain... that I'd agree with.

[frysebox]

I have a pretty weird body. At the moment I have pain during various wrist movements in probably 3-4 different locations in both wrists. 1 of them has been coming back and going away for some weeks now. However, when I do the actual lifts, nothing hurts. Rotating my wrist while holding a 1L mug etc can hurt, but not benching/rowing heavy?

[amaeland]

Frysebox: That's not particularly weird, I have had the same problem. Do you use computers/video games a lot? I would suggest tennis ball therapy on your pecs, biceps, brachioradialis and wrist flexors/extensors. If you loosen all that up, your shoulders will come a bit back, circulation will improve and the problem is likely to go away.

[Mouse]

Rotating my wrist while holding a 1L mug etc can hurt, but not benching/rowing heavy?

Nothing hurts more than rotating a 1litre mug - especially when you spill your PWO protein shake out of it

(Sorry - couldn't resist)

[frysebox]

Frysebox: That's not particularly weird, I have had the same problem. Do you use computers/video games a lot? I would suggest tennis ball therapy on your pecs, biceps, brachioradialis and wrist flexors/extensors. If you loosen all that up, your shoulders will come a bit back, circulation will improve and the problem is likely to go away.

How do you use the tennis ball, really? You just put it in a sock and roll away, or do you not roll and just stroke yourself with pressure?

[canoeguide]

Honestly, the original poster is 18 years old and incredibly strong, probably never experienced a serious injury in his life.

That might be a slightly unfair assumption, but I can certainly testify to the change in perspective that comes from being older and dealing with your body just not doing what you ask it to all the time like it used to. I know I was once 18 and bulletproof, and now I'm quite aware of how that changes over time.

The very reason for so many posts of the "I did x and now y hurts" variety is probably people looking for advice on whether their pain is something they should be concerned about, not just wimpy complaining. They're seeking advice, not necessarily an easy way out.

Mehdi's barometer for determining the difference between ignorable pain vs injury seems like pretty good advice.